Service from Fort Worth to Kansas under consideration

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Kansas transportation officials have agreed to spend $200,000 for the state's portion of a study into whether it's feasible to operate a passenger train service between Kansas City, Mo., and Fort Worth, Texas.

The Amtrak study, which is also being funded by the Oklahoma and Texas transportation departments, will identify construction and equipment requirements for the proposed route. It also will estimate potential annual operating costs to run the service.

The study will consider proposed Kansas stops in Lawrence, Topeka and Newton, with new stations in Emporia, Strong City, Wichita and Winfield or Arkansas City.

The study is expected to be finished sometime next year.

Even if such a train service is deemed viable, legislatures in the three states would have to agree to come up with the money to pay for it.

The study will consider things like potential schedules, availability of railcars and locomotives and the cost of rail improvements to accommodate passenger service.